MATERIALS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with additives.

Carbon black when used as an additive has been shown to enhance mechanical, chemical, thermal, gas barrier, electrical, flame retardant and other properties of a host. Improvement in the physicochemical properties of the host depends on: 1) a uniform distribution and entrainment of the carbon black, 2) optimizing the interfacial bonding between the carbon black and host's matrix, 3) removal of gasses entrained in the host during processing, 4) optimizing the additive's innate properties, e.g. functionalization of the surface 5) optimizing the loading of the additive in the host.

Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with composite materials. Carbon black is a common additive used to enhance strength, electrical and thermal conductivity of a host. Because of the abundance of low cost carbon black, it has driven the electrical, thermal and mechanical benchmark specifications for carbon-filled composites.

The traditional method of compounding carbon black in a host is to melt-mix in an extruder. The extruded composite is then cut into pellets. These pellets are in general < 5mm long by < 4mm wide by < 1mm thick. These pellets can be further used for injection molding, powder coating or as a masterbatch. A masterbatch is a solid or liquid additive used to impart coloring or other properties to the host. A masterbatch is a concentrated mixture of additives encapsulated during a heating or extruding process into a host resin, which is then cooled and cut into a pellet and then ground/machined into a granular shape. Masterbatching is an economical method to store and then deliver an additive to a host during the manufacturing process.

The masterbatch preparation process yields a compounded composite that has a resistivity of -100 kQ*cm to 200 kQ*cm at an ultimate carbon black loading of -3% to 4% by mass relative to the host resin as a powder coated film. The masterbatching processing technique is designed to produce a cost effective material for storage and compounding and not for optimizing the additive's performance in a host. This dispersion/compounding process uniformly distributes the carbon black throughout the volume of the host artificially increasing the loading necessary to achieve a percolation threshold or an adequate electrical conductivity for a given application. Alternatively, non-random distributions of carbon filler in a polymer matrix are ideal for many applications as exemplified by unidirectional or woven carbon fiber composites.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The increasing cost of raw materials in the world has generated a demand to optimize material utilization in almost every process. The growing demand of the electronics and RF markets for both EMI shielding and ESD protection has and is placing a large demand on specialized carbon black, functionalized for high conductivity. The traditional dispersion/compounding entrains the carbon black uniformly through the volume of the masterbatch pellet or powder particle.

The method herein enables the dispersion/compounding of carbon black or any additive to a host in a manner that optimizes performance while minimizing the mass of the additive used in the application. The particles of the host material are coated with the filler additive using a milling process. These particles may be hot-pressed, stamped, extruded, injected molded or used in a powder coating. The coated surface makes connective pathways through the volume of the final composite structure. The connective structures form a unique partem within the volume of composite structure with extensive well-connected percolating networks of carbon black surrounding vacuoles of the host material where there is no carbon black entrained in the vacuoles.

In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method of making an additive coated host particle for making a composite material for enhancing the material property, comprising: providing a powdered host; providing a powdered additive with a softening or melting temperature higher than the melting point of said powdered host; inputting said powdered host and said powdered additive to a ball mill; and milling said powdered host and said powdered additive for a milling time to sufficient mix but not melt the host particle. In one aspect, the method further comprises the step of dry blending a neat polymer powder to enhance flowability and processability of powder. In another aspect, the host is a powder from a resin. In another aspect, the host is a powder from a metal. In another aspect, the host is a powder from a ceramic. In another aspect, the additive is a powder to alter the physical properties including thermal, electrical, optical or mechanical. In another aspect, the additive is carbon black. In another aspect, the milling is in a ball mill, and wherein the ball mill uses stainless steel balls weighing at least 1 g each. In another aspect, the milling is in a closed chamber for 10 to 100 minutes at 1,000 RPM or less. In another aspect, the milling is a sand, bead, and horizontal mill at an rpm of 100-1000. In another aspect, the milling is in attrition mill directly agitates the media to achieve grinding. In another aspect, the dry neat polymer powder is the same polymer as the attrition milled polymer. In another aspect, the dry neat polymer powder is a different polymer than attrition milled polymer. In another aspect, the dry neat polymer powder is non flowable (such as PTFE) and a dilution powder is PVDF.

In another embodiment, the present invention includes a method of coating a host particle for making a composite material with enhanced material properties, comprising: providing a powdered host; providing a powdered additive with a softening or melting temperature higher than the melting point of said powdered host; inputting said powdered host and said powdered additive to a mill; and coating said powdered host with said powdered additive in a mill for a milling time to sufficient mix but not melt the host particle, wherein the coating dramatically reduces the additive required to achieve a percolative network in the host. In one aspect, the host is a resin powder. In one aspect, the host is a metal powder. In one aspect, the host is a ceramic powder. In one aspect, the additive is a powder selected to alter at least one physical properties selected from thermal, electrical, optical, or mechanical. In one aspect, the additive is carbon black. In one aspect, the milling is in a ball mill, and wherein the ball mill uses stainless steel balls weighing at least 1 g each. In one aspect, the milling is in a closed chamber for 10 to 100 minutes at 1,000 RPM or less. In one aspect, the milling is a sand, bead, and horizontal mill at an rpm of 100-1000. In one aspect, the mill is an attrition mill directly agitates the media to achieve grinding. In one aspect, the method further comprises the step of dry blending a neat polymer powder to enhance flowability and processability of powder. In another aspect, the dry neat polymer powder is the same polymer as the attrition milled polymer. In another aspect, the dry neat polymer powder is a different polymer than attrition milled polymer. In another aspect, the dry neat polymer powder is non flowable (such as PTFE) and a dilution powder is PVDF.

In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method of making an additive coated host particle for making a composite material for enhancing the material property, comprising: providing a powdered host; providing a powdered additive with a softening or melting temperature higher than the melting point of said powdered host; inputting said powdered host and said powdered additive to a ball mill; milling said powdered host and said powdered additive for a milling time to sufficient mix but not melt the host particle; and dry blending a neat polymer powder to enhance flowability and processability of powder. In another aspect, the dry neat polymer powder is the same polymer as the attrition milled polymer. In another aspect, the dry neat polymer powder is a different polymer than attrition milled polymer. In another aspect, the dry neat polymer powder is non flowable (such as PTFE) and a dilution powder is PVDF. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention and do not delimit the scope of the invention.

To facilitate the understanding of this invention, a number of terms are defined below. Terms defined herein have meanings as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the areas relevant to the present invention. Terms such as "a", "an" and "the" are not intended to refer to only a singular entity, but include the general class of which a specific example may be used for illustration. The terminology herein is used to describe specific embodiments of the invention, but their usage does not delimit the invention, except as outlined in the claims.

Non-limiting examples of a "host" or "host material", which terms are used interchangeably, for use with the present invention include, e.g., metals, ceramics, resins, ordinary Portland cement, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), Polycarbonate (PC), ceramic powders, ceramic powder is aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, silica, silicon dioxide, or combination thereof, metal powders, metal powders of titanium, titanium hydride, tantalum, cobalt chrome, niobium, stainless steel, nickel, copper, aluminum, or combinations thereof, a polycrystalline material, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVF), or polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF), polyurethane, poly(butyleneterephthalate), nylon 11, poly(ethyleneterephthalate), poly (ether ether ketone), poly(phenylene sulfide), poly olefin, an oxide, carbonate or silicate of an element of Groups 2a, 3a, 4a and 4b of the Periodic Table, poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), poly(methylmethacrylate), polystyrene, polycarbonate/nylon alloy, polycarbonate/polyester alloy, ABS, ABS/nylon alloy, ABS/PVC alloy, acrylic copolymers, polysulfone, poly sulf one/ ABS alloy, polyetherimides, polyamide-imides, polyarylates, fluoropolymers, polyphenylene oxide/polystyrene blend, or poly(phenylene sulfide).

Carbon black and host particles can be subjected to mechanochemical processing in what is generically referred to as a "ball mill." When grinding in the ball mill, the balls (media) in their random movement are rolling against each other and the container, exerting shearing forces on the carbon black and the particles from the host. The resulting host particles can be coated on the exterior and have not been melted nor has the host particle's size been reduced by more than 20% due to the milling process.

Due to the cost differential between crystalline graphite and carbon black, the latter has been widely adopted as an additive. Other forms of carbon powder may be used with carbon black, or as an alternative to carbon black.

A useful and simple equation describing the grinding momentum is m x v (mass x velocity), which enables the user to see how the attrition mill fits into the family of mills. For example, a 2-liter ball mill uses 6 lbs (or -2600 stainless steel balls) of 0.25" diameter stainless steel balls weighing 1 g each. Milling or mixing can be accomplished in a closed chamber for 10 to 100 minutes at 1,000 RPM or less to coat the host particles. The other mills, such as sand, bead, and horizontal, use smaller media from 0.3mm to 2mm, but run at a very high rpm (roughly 100-1000). High-speed dispersers with no media run at an even faster rpm (1000-4000). An attrition mill directly agitates the media to achieve grinding.

For efficient fine grinding, both impact action and shearing force are generally required. The grinding media's random movement and spinning at different rotational energies exert shearing forces and impact forces on the carbon black and host particles. The milling/mixing time may range from 5 to 60 minutes. The combination of milling/mixing speed, media size and milling/mixing time enables the production of a host particle covered with an additive. This additive encased host particle improves the efficacy of the use of an additive. This milling/mixing process and resulting additive covered host particle in the case of carbon black can reduced the resistivity of the composite material by as much as 2,000 times for the same loading, opening new applications or reducing the loading requirement for current applications. The GO/Polymer masterbatch is dry mixed in an in-bin tumble mill with a neat polymer powder to reduce the concentration by half or to an arbitrary dilution. The dry neat powder can be a polymer other than the original powder to enhance flowability and processability and when combined with GO/Polymer result is a highly electrically high strength conductive composite.

Depending on the mechanical properties of the polymer the milling process may damage the polymer. This damage translates to poor physical properties in the compression molded or extruded polymer parts, as well as reducing the flowability of the compounded GO/Polymer masterbatch powder. To address this issue one makes a higher loading of GO/polymer master batch as an example to achieve a 5% loading of GO in a polymer one produces a 10% loading of the GO in the polymer using the milling process as described above. The 10% GO/polymer powder is then dry mixing with the neat polymer powder to reduce the concentration by half. The dry powder can be blended in an in-bin tumble mill or other blending process that does not damage the additional neat polymer. Additionally the dry neat powder can be a polymer other than the original powder to enhance flowability and processability. As an example Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVF), or polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) is extrudable polymer while Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a polymer that does not flow and is generally compression molded into a block and them machined into the final product. GO can be ball milled with PVDF and the dry mixed with PTFE to produce an extrudable composite polymer. As long as the PTFE is at least 20% of the blend powder then the resulting composite will have the physical properties of bulk PTFE. When combined with GO the result is a highly electrically conductive composite.

It is contemplated that any embodiment discussed in this specification can be implemented with respect to any method, kit, reagent, or composition of the invention, and vice versa. Furthermore, compositions of the invention can be used to achieve methods of the invention.

It will be understood that particular embodiments described herein are shown by way of illustration and not as limitations of the invention. The principal features of this invention can be employed in various embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, numerous equivalents to the specific procedures described herein. Such equivalents are considered to be within the scope of this invention and are covered by the claims.

All publications and patent applications mentioned in the specification are indicative of the level of skill of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. All publications and patent applications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

The use of the word "a" or "an" when used in conjunction with the term "comprising" in the claims and/or the specification may mean "one," but it is also consistent with the meaning of "one or more," "at least one," and "one or more than one." The use of the term "or" in the claims is used to mean "and/or" unless explicitly indicated to refer to alternatives only or the alternatives are mutually exclusive, although the disclosure supports a definition that refers to only alternatives and "and/or." Throughout this application, the term "about" is used to indicate that a value includes the inherent variation of error for the device, the method being employed to determine the value, or the variation that exists among the study subjects.

As used in this specification and claim(s), the words "comprising" (and any form of comprising, such as "comprise" and "comprises"), "having" (and any form of having, such as "have" and "has"), "including" (and any form of including, such as "includes" and "include") or "containing" (and any form of containing, such as "contains" and "contain") are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps. In embodiments of any of the compositions and methods provided herein, "comprising" may be replaced with "consisting essentially of or "consisting of. As used herein, the phrase "consisting essentially of requires the specified integer(s) or steps as well as those that do not materially affect the character or function of the claimed invention. As used herein, the term "consisting" is used to indicate the presence of the recited integer (e.g., a feature, an element, a characteristic, a property, a method/process step or a limitation) or group of integers (e.g., feature(s), element(s), characteristic(s), propertie(s), method/process steps or limitation(s)) only.

The term "or combinations thereof as used herein refers to all permutations and combinations of the listed items preceding the term. For example, "A, B, C, or combinations thereof is intended to include at least one of: A, B, C, AB, AC, BC, or ABC, and if order is important in a particular context, also BA, CA, CB, CBA, BCA, ACB, BAC, or CAB. Continuing with this example, expressly included are combinations that contain repeats of one or more item or term, such as BB, AAA, AB, BBC, AAABCCCC, CBBAAA, CABABB, and so forth. The skilled artisan will understand that typically there is no limit on the number of items or terms in any combination, unless otherwise apparent from the context.

As used herein, words of approximation such as, without limitation, "about", "substantial" or "substantially" refers to a condition that when so modified is understood to not necessarily be absolute or perfect but would be considered close enough to those of ordinary skill in the art to warrant designating the condition as being present. The extent to which the description may vary will depend on how great a change can be instituted and still have one of ordinary skilled in the art recognize the modified feature as still having the required characteristics and capabilities of the unmodified feature. In general, but subject to the preceding discussion, a numerical value herein that is modified by a word of approximation such as "about" may vary from the stated value by at least ±1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12 or 15%.

All of the compositions and/or methods disclosed and claimed herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the compositions and methods of this invention have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that variations may be applied to the compositions and/or methods and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the method described herein without departing from the concept, spirit and scope of the invention. All such similar substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims.